Vote dismissal refining is needed.

[TeganLaron]

I think it doesn't need fiddling with just yet. Yes, it is abused sometimes. But the vote kick has done far more good than bad in my opinion.

[Altaeciana]

To address many of the points being flung around, here's what I have observed regarding some things you are all talking about.

GM Action:

How can someone even know what the GMs do to any degree? They blatantly state that they do not share the results of their "investigations" or give updates to a reported/filed claim.

As far as I can figure out, if a GM contacts me after I submit a report, that's some reassurance that something is being done about my concern. Beyond that, there is not much else to go on by or say.

And as far as anyone can be concerned, any "statistical reports" GMs procure are mainly focused around RMT activity.

Vote Dismissal frequency:

I should probably have stated in the OP that many of the misuses of vote dismiss occur largely in Labyrinth of the Ancients. So unless you have been doing CT related duties, you are likely to notice fewer instances of someone just parading around and acting like they're the party leader of a random group.

Even so, that does not grant immunity to non-CT related duties. I have been in a Dzemael Darkhold random group before and all it takes is a premade group from one server to start apple picking members. That one time I rolled need on those glamour worthy things like the Coliseum Galerus (Melee body piece) and based on the premade group's conclusion, I did something I should not have done. I was removed and I immediately proceeded to file a report.

People like to say "stuff happens" in regards to what may seem as bad luck or simple misfortune. But that's not the case as I constantly watch these abuse cases happen. They have a trend and all share similar qualities.

In defense of the people I watched become removed in those 24-person CT raids, I do something special with my reports. I look up all the people who were in my group and check to see if a bunch are from the same server. If multiple people are from the same server, I check each member and see if they are from the same free company. If in the same free company, it just becomes a very useful bit of ammunition to supplement my report. Because let's face it, someone starts the vote dismiss and people cast their votes. What are the probable outcomes? In the case of same server + same FC, it is a no brainer. I do this work for the GMs with timestamps and everything because I want these motherfers to pay for thinking they had the right of way.

But... Why?!?

You can say I am making a stance on this out of personal vendetta, or to be the odd hero for those who say nothing (or do nothing). Maybe I am just a fool blinded by a wasteful mission. I just want to tell these abusers to suck it up and deal with it.

* You will be required to select a reason for dismissal. Please be warned that unjustified usage of vote dismiss is a punishable act.

S-E, GMs, or whoever the heck it is... an being of authority made it clear in the Path 2.1 notes that misuse/abuse is punishable. So... I want to see some punishment being dished out. Some morons picked the wrong researcher to mess with.

[KenzieLynch]

I think it doesn't need fiddling with just yet. Yes, it is abused sometimes. But the vote kick has done far more good than bad in my opinion.

I disagree.

I don't have any stats to go by, only a general feeling of playing the game, but I would hazard a guess that the vote kick system is vary rarely used for it's intended purpose (AFK etc). At least, very little when compared to how much it is inappropriately used. I say get rid of it.

[TeganLaron]

I disagree.

I don't have any stats to go by, only a general feeling of playing the game, but I would hazard a guess that the vote kick system is vary rarely used for it's intended purpose (AFK etc). At least, very little when compared to how much it is inappropriately used. I say get rid of it.

Well I often have seen it used appropriately. Whether to kick someone who is simply AFK or disconnected too long, or for those unfortunate times you're stuck with just a genuinely nasty person who won't stop harassing other member/s of the party. Yes, I've seen it abused, I've even been on the end of wrongful kicks, but I still see it used in the intended way much more often than not.

Plus, even when vote kick isn't being actively used it is still doing a job, it is acting as a deterrent. Back when the game first came out and there was no vote kick whatsoever, you just had to deal with whatever you got in Duty Finder. This meant more often than not carrying leeches through CM or Prae on Philo runs; they wouldn't move, speak or respond in any way whatsoever. They would just stand at the entrance and you had to deal with it, either finishing the run giving them free tomes, or taking a penalty yourself for quitting. Nice.

Also not forgetting the WP & AK runs where people would tend to throw the most maliciously vile insults possible at each other for something as trivial as pulling an extra Dullahan. I saw everything from verbal attacks on peoples families and children, to people having cancer wished on them. Would you rather go back to having stuff like that? Because the fact is those toxic players still exist, they haven't gone away. But their horrible true natures are (more often than not) kept in check by the vote kick system.

I would gladly take the odd misuse in exchange for the overwhelming good it has brought to duty finding content.